In Rairangpur, Odisha, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) wrapped up the 12th edition of Operation DRISHTI, a three-day Mega Multi-Speciality Medical Camp that provided free care to more than 4,000 patients and completed 365 sight-restoring eye surgeries between November 2 and 4, 2026.
The camp was set up to bring specialised treatment closer to underserved communities. Patients were offered consultations, diagnostic investigations, surgical procedures and medicines without any cost, with the stated aim of easing access to advanced healthcare for people who otherwise face difficulty reaching such services.
DGAFMS Visits the Camp
Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), visited the camp on November 4. He met patients who were receiving medical consultations and post-operative care, and he also distributed medicine kits to those who had undergone eye surgeries.
During the visit, Air Marshal Thareja praised the medical teams for continuing their work despite difficult weather caused by a cyclone. The report says the camp remained functional through those conditions.
Specialist Care Under One Roof
The camp included doctors from Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Dermatology, Dental and General Medicine, allowing patients to access multiple specialties at one location. Every patient who came to the camp received on-site attention, while those needing more advanced treatment were referred onward.
The Cardiology Department examined more than 400 patients and carried out 298 electrocardiograms (ECGs) and 406 echocardiograms. Specialists also identified 29 patients who needed advanced cardiac intervention, including angiography, CT angiography, valve surgery, device implantation and balloon pulmonary valvotomy.
The Nephrology Department treated over 400 patients and performed 341 ultrasound examinations. Dermatologists attended to more than 500 patients, the Dental Department treated 221 patients and completed 198 procedures, and the General Medicine Department provided consultations to 339 patients.
Among the beneficiaries was 75-year-old Biswanath, who had a complicated cataract after an old eye injury. AFMS surgeons performed manual small-incision cataract surgery and implanted a scleral-fixated intraocular lens, which gave him the prospect of improved vision.
Another patient, 60-year-old Sombari Gope, had a dense cataract in a structurally small eye. The surgical team carried out cataract surgery with a posterior chamber intraocular lens while taking precautions to protect the cornea.
The camp was organised in Rairangpur, the hometown of President Droupadi Murmu, which added significance to the humanitarian effort. Operation DRISHTI is an AFMS initiative intended to extend specialised eye care and advanced medical services to underserved regions across India.
By treating thousands of patients and performing hundreds of sight-restoring surgeries in just three days, the AFMS again highlighted the wider public-health role of military medical professionals beyond their regular responsibility of serving the Armed Forces.
